11 Bizarre Sleeping Habits Of Highly Successful People

One of a professional's most important daily rituals is how and when they sleep, since this affects how well they perform on the job.

For people at the top, who often face intense pressure and packed schedules, sometimes these sleeping habits can be quite strange.

Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, for instance, sleeps in a high altitude chamber which forces his body to work even while resting. Meanwhile, famed writer Charles Dickens always slept facing north, and inventor Nikola Tesla never slept for more than two hours a night.

Here's a look at the most bizarre sleeping habits of highly successful people.

All of Stephen King's pillows are pointed in a certain direction.

"I brush my teeth, I wash my hands. Why would anybody wash their hands before they go to bed? I don’t know. And the pillows are supposed to be pointed a certain way. The open side of the pillowcase is supposed to be pointed in toward the other side of the bed. I don’t know why."

Michael Phelps sleeps in a chamber with air comparable to 8,500 to 9,000 feet.

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By placing his bedroom at this high altitude, Phelps decreases oxygen, which forces his body to work harder to produce more red blood cells and deliver oxygen to his muscles. It also helps Phelps increase his performance endurance and prepare himself for competitions at high elevations.

"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success ... Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything," he said.